Council backs fight against depression

WARRINGTON Borough Council will be supporting the national campaign, Depression Awareness Week, taking place April 20-26.
The charity, Depression Alliance, which is leading the awareness week, is asking residents to get involved and support the campaign by posting a photograph of themselves on Twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #StandUpAgainstDepression.
Director of public health Dr Rita Robertson said: “Depression can affect anyone, of any age and can happen to one in 10 of us at some point in our lives. People experiencing depression often have intense emotions of anxiety, hopelessness and negativity that stay with them over time.
“I’m glad to see that we’re supporting Depression Awareness Week and would urge local residents to get involved.
“If you think that you, or someone you know, might be experiencing depression then it’s important to ask for help. The first step towards getting support or treatment would usually be to visit your GP.
“Your GP can discuss your symptoms with you and explain the range of treatment and support available.”
For more information about depression, self-help techniques and local and national organisations which offer information and support, visit the mental health awareness site www.happyoksad.org.uk, which was developed for local people by Warrington’s public health team.
On the “Frontline Workers’” page of the site, there’s a section about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based services and resources. This includes links to free online CBT programmes, structured self-help booklets and psychological services based in Warrington. CBT has been shown to be an effective treatment for certain types of depression.